Igara West MP, Hon. Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, has called on government to account for and rescue Ugandan students stranded in Iran following an alleged fake scholarship scheme coordinated through the Office of the National Chairman of NRM Party in Kyambogo.
Hon. Mbwatekamwa said that the 100 students were lured into applying for the fully funded study opportunities but could not find the courses applied for on arrival in Iran. He added that each student was made to pay US$ 800 as a requirement for travel to Iran.
“On 10 October 2023 the Office of NRM National Chairman, Kyambogo wrote an advert requesting all Ugandans who wanted to go to Iran on scholarship for various courses. One hundred students were taken and promised that the scholarship would cover all the costs, but as we talk, when they reached some found that the courses they were told do not exist,” he said.
He said that some of the students have been pushed to the streets, with some girls turning to prostitution.
Hon. Abed Bwanika (NUP, Kimaanya-Kabonera Division), attested to the plight of Ugandan students in Iran, citing a relative who was allegedly duped in the same scheme.
“One of my relatives is a victim of the scheme. He was taken to Iran by the same office to study veterinary medicine, and was stranded and did not even have transport back. We have just evacuated him. This is a serious matter and it must be investigated,” said Bwanika.
The Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi said government should use this crisis to address the gaps in diplomatic representation in Iran created by the demise of former Ugandan Ambassador to Iran, Muhammad Kisambira in August 2023.
Nkunyingi observed that appointment of an ambassador could be among the remedies necessary to address the plight of Ugandan nationals in Iran.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeje Odongo, said the allegations were new to him but pledged to investigate and provide a substantive statement in the course of the week.
He further noted that the gaps in diplomatic representations were not only in Iran but in three other missions including Kenya since the death of Ambassador, Hassan Wasswa Galiwango in January 2023.